


Star Wars Shorts

by SighingWinter



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Republic Commando Series - Karen Traviss, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka gets adopted by Mandos, Anakin Skywalker is a Little Shit, Anakin isn't good with emotions, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Clones, Dooku and Qui-Gon irritate the crap out of each other, Episode: Padawan Lost, Episode: Wookie Hunt, Etain makes life choices that are hard, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Kal being protective of the clones, Kix may be a little stressed, Mandalore, No one knows how to handle Ahsoka not being around, References to the Jedi Council, Romance if you squint, Second Battle of Geonosis, The 501st all really need all the hugs, The 501st has FEELS, The Jedi Council pisses everyone off, Zey's too old for Kal's bullshit, who is just done with everything
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-24 17:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16644500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SighingWinter/pseuds/SighingWinter
Summary: Various Short Stories, some intertwined, others simple one-shots.Chapter One: Aay'han - 501st view during Padawan Lost and Wookie HuntChapter Two: Mandalore AU Pt. 1 - Fem!Obi-Wan on her first trip to MandaloreChapter Three: Growth Cycles - Ahsoka gets biggerChapter Four: Buirkan - Etain makes a different choiceChapter Five: Ori'vod Prologue - series of shorts around Ahsoka's adoption into Delta Squad





	1. Aay'han

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She’s listed as MIA for 1 month, 9 days, 15 hours and 59 seconds.
> 
> The first week the 501st is confident that Ahsoka will be back amongst their ranks soon, but moral starts to falter without her bright outlook and exuberant attitude. As the second week passes her missing presence is even worse than the first few days when barely anyone dared to speak.
> 
> (A short look into the 501st's end of things during Padawan Lost/Wookie Hunt)

Rex watched as they left Felucia behind, the missing presence of Commander Tano a near physical ghost at his side. Daring to glance towards the command center, he spots General Skywalker standing in a too straight parade rest and beside him, General Kenobi stroking his beard, a deep frown furrowing between his brows as the planet of Felucia grew increasingly smaller. The comms in his bucket are silent, no one dares to speak as if their voices are caught in their throats, too hopeful for some last minute signal that surely General Skywalker’s padawan could pull out of her ass right when they were on the edge of the system, too aware that their hope is as vain as hoping to live a normal human lifespan.

It’s two days later when they’re still in hyperspace that Rex sends out the information to every officer: Ahsoka Tano - MIA. His brothers are spread across the galaxy, surely someone will find her.

She’s listed as MIA for 1 month, 9 days, 15 hours and 59 seconds.

The first week the 501st is confident that Ahsoka will be back amongst their ranks soon, but moral starts to falter without her bright outlook and exuberant attitude. As the second week passes her missing presence is even worse than the first few days when barely anyone dared to speak.

Her usual spot in the mess is left empty, though the table is filled every night in the same way that it had been before they went planetside. It’s almost painful for Echo to sit across from it and see nothing. Fives’ humor falls flat as he pauses to allow the usual quip of Tano’s words supplement his own only to encounter the silence of dead air.

Rex grouches about something forgotten by his General and his hand typing out Ahsoka’s comm signal to get her help only to encounter the too familiar and haunting static of a dead line.

Kix gets into an argument when the General refuses to sleep in favor exhausting himself while searching the Force for his wayward charge and nearly slams the man into a wall, half expecting said padawan to appear like she always did to break up whatever fight was about to happen. When there’s nothing, Skywalker has just enough room to stalk off while Kix breathes through his shock.

It’s on the third week that Echo starts telling stories of Ahsoka’s successes, his heavily scarred body still recovering from the events of the Citadel, a mission he survived only thanks to Ahsoka’s absolute refusal to give up. Most of them are from Christophsis, but it’s not long before someone else is there to fill the void when his voice cracks. Ship techs talk about the interesting designs she’s suggested or holo-books she’d bought for them to work on different art techniques.

The ARCs are more than happy to follow up with tales of messy training sessions in hand to hand combat or a time when she was stuck in the med-bay after the Blue Shadow Virus incident and they made her fall asleep by reading a tactics book.

Kix and Boots, a field medic, are pulled in to recite their own versions of the mud ridden mission that earned Boots a re-naming. Stories fly across the mess hall that night and throughout the successive days and between the regular chatter in their bucket coms there’s always a story to fill the silence as if now that they’ve brought her back via memories, they’re afraid that she’ll disappear if even one of them stops speaking. Thankfully, it’s been almost 2 years since she’d joined their ranks and become one of them, so there’s plenty of stories before they’re in any danger of running out.

The vod all know what it is to lose a brother. As awful as it is, they’re inured to the loss, but there are thousands of others that support that loss and the stand in support. Until Felucia no one had known what it was to lose a sister, and though they still had thousands of others to empathize and support them, something about this one loss infinitely worse.

When a month passes they learn that the Council wants to declare her dead and Skywalker is in a fit of rage. So are most of the vod. The 501st seethes in a similar, but more quiet rage as they, like their General, believe without a doubt, that their sister is out there and still alive, and they’ll keep believing in that until there’s proof that says otherwise. Fives mutters darkly in mando’a and Echo’s face is black as he sits on bunk and types ferociously on a PADD. When Rex is pinged later by one of the vod’s former trainers, he learns that Echo has some unexpected friends in various places across the galaxy and they owe him - a debt he apparently cashed in.

They’ve been ordered out on a patrol when their ship receives a high priority communication just before they’re about to enter hyperspace. The General’s face is enough for the techs to push their ship back to Triple Zero as fast as possible and word hits the comms that there’s news. No one knows what kind, but the old gods be damned if it’s not what every trooper in the 501st Battalion is hoping for.

The General disappears for hours and every second is a painful breath, surely he would’ve told them something by now, but the silence carries on in an ever moving march. Someone mutters lowly in the comms and one of the sergeants is quick to silence him. It’s barely a second after that that Skywalker pings him with a short message and Rex fights against the disappointment welling in his chest.

“All Troops, the General and a VIP are heading on board. I want all squads in formal formation in 10.” There’s a cacophony of mando’a swearing across the comms before across the ship the men erupt into a flurry of fast yet organized movement. All around him, brothers moved swiftly to hold positions whilst those assigned to welcome duty rushed to pull on their dress uniforms or run through a quick armor cleaning.

There was nothing quite like standing among your brothers in arms in a neat formation meant to impress the important (non-GAR) people that occasionally descended on one of the most famous battalions. A veritable sea of white armor streaked with 501st blue, each with the same helmet, and to most outsiders, the same face, body, and mind underneath. Most of the Vod approached parade duty with grudging reluctance, as VIPs tended to not view the clones as human, but for Echo it was an honor. He stood near the front, ignoring the slight pain that wearing his ARC-trooper armor caused his still tender body, Fives on his left and Torrent Squad lined up to his right. Across from him was Rex, lined up beside Admiral Yularen, shoulders back and standing proud. It was a sight that made pride sing through his veins and Echo couldn’t resist grabbing a still image of what was in front of him, determined to share the memory with Ahsoka when she returned.

General Skywalker’s ship hissed in the silent hangar and slowly the ramp moved down to allow it’s passengers to disembark. Confusion bubbled through the comms when the General stepped down the ramp wearing his dark brown robes, looking more the Jedi than most of the men had ever seen, his face a mask of serene blankness. Their General moved to stand beside Rex before his strong voice called out the order. As one the men turned towards the ship, blasters towards the ceiling in formal salute, and at the same time, the VIP moved to the ramp only to halt in their tracks as they gaped at the sight of the assembled men.

At first, no one moved, and it almost seemed as if as one the vod had stopped breathing as they laid eyes on the slim figure that stood before them. Bootless with torn leggings and a tunic that could hardly be called less than shredded, and with russet skin covered in brown dust that was clearly smeared with blood stood Ahsoka Tano.

“Welcome aboard Snips.” Skywalker’s voice was full of mischief and Rex mentally swore he’d eat his blaster if the karking Jedi wasn’t smirking, but dammit he had a duty to do and not even the Chancellor would keep him from doing it, especially when it came to this “Blaster down and buckets off vod. Our sister deserves a proper welcome.”


	2. The Mandalore AU PT. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan Kenobi had spent a nearly a year on Mandalore. It had been long, grueling, and kriffing awful in every karking way possible. Being chased by Death Watch was the absolute last thing that any 15 year old padawan would want, and yet here she was. On Mandalore. Being chased by Death Watch. With two grumpy Jedi Masters and another girl that couldn't seem to get her head on straight. And now more Madalorians were getting involved. She was too damn tired for this shit.
> 
> "An excellent decision sir, absolutely fantastic. Now then, before I die could I at least bathe?"
> 
> ) Part 1 of a fem!Obi-Wan Kenobi short series, focusing on her time on Mandalore. Yes, I am taking writing liberties, and yes this is AU (

Obi-Wan Kenobi had spent a nearly a year on Mandalore. It had been long, grueling, and kriffing awful in every karking way possible. Master Jinn had grown cool and tired, with a hardness in his gaze that left an awful taste in the back of her mouth, Master Dooku had grown more stern and was foreboding in his silence, and Satine Kryze was growing increasingly less afraid and more determined in creating the New Mandalorians, too eager for peace after the near constant death that had surrounded them for the past 9 months. And now, here they stood on the precipice of the end and it all came down to a choice.

Two weeks ago they’d received a secure communication from a True Mandalorian called Jaster Mereel, offering information. At least, that’s what Master Dooku had said they’d said, which Obi-Wan had interpreted as “there are Mandalorians will to offer us something and we ought to consider that they may have a viable solution to this disgusting and far too long mission”. It was a sentiment that Obi-Wan heartily echoed, though she could see that point that the obstinate Master Jinn brought forwards in a small revolt against the news. They were near enough the Kryze Clan’s main house by now and from there they could go about their orders for re-establishing peace- there was no need to meet with potentially dangerous strangers. The two Masters had argued long and bitterly for hours after the minute-long com and then when they had at last informed their protectorate of the information the argument rose to even greater heights as Satine declared that she’d have nothing to do with mercenaries who claimed to be Mandalorian.

At that point, Obi-Wan had mentally thrown up her hands and gone to the edge of their temporary camp and scaled a tree. If this civil war had taught her nothing else, it was that enemies rarely looked up. She kept a careful watch while the others eventually argued themselves to sleep, which gave the 15 year old padawan plenty of time to strategize. This lasted a handful of hours more than usual before their trackers once more pinged on the edge of Jedis’ senses. Satine was roused and all signs of their small camp were swiftly erased before they were once more on the run. Whoever was running the hunt for them was relentless and the Duchess and Jedi were on the run for nearly 3 days straight before they had the opportunity to rest for more than a few minutes.

“Masters. With all due respect, we can’t keep this up. We’ve been running towards areas of greater desolation- what little we’ve been able to scrape together won’t last us long. At the rate we’re going we’ll be on our last legs before we reach Clan Kryze’s lands, especially if we’re trying to not bring Death Watch towards them.”

“And what do you suggest padawan?” Master Dooku’s deep voice was full of stern authority tinged with the beginnings of true exhaustion.

“We take this Jaster Mereel up on their offer. We pick the spot, scout it ahead of the meeting, and see what comes of it.”

“And if they’re Death Watch Allies?”

“We’re being driven towards a confrontation regardless. Better to pick where we’ll stand on our terms than be driven to a place that could be advantageous towards our trackers. Added to that we could use the confrontation for our ends.”

“How so?” Master Jinn’s deep brown eyes gazed sharply at her and Obi-Wan found that being driven to near exhaustion made it easier to face the more experienced maverick Jedi.

“They’ll hardly be interested in us if the Duchess is dead.”

“Obi-Wan!” “Kenobi!” “WHAT?!”

Obi-Wan sighed at the slip of the tongue and waited for the trio’s sharp words died down enough for her to talk over them, “Forgive me- appears dead is the better term.” Sharp blue grey eyes looked towards Satine, “With all due respect, you’re a core piece of this civil war and the New Mandalorian way- you’re too important for Death Watch to keep alive. Should you ‘die’ in a conflict with the Jedi ‘unable’ to protect you, you achieve two of your ends at the same time. The Death Watch will stop hunting us long enough to get you to safety and the Jedi, and thereby the Republic, will remove their presence from this sector while you and your people rebuild and adjust from the end of this war.”

Satine’s bright eyes glimmered at this possible achievement but then frowned as she processed the padawan’s plan. “But then you’d all leave before this civil war is ended.”

Here Obi-Wan shook her head, “We will continue to assist you to resolve this war- we can’t exactly get off the planet with a blockade of Death Watch sympathizers in the way. Focusing on the now, we have the opportunity of making a potential ally, regain some strength, and if the worst should happen, we will already have a plan to get you home safely, hopefully with none of the pressure of imminent death tailing us as it has been thus far.”

Satine bit her bottom lip, her graceful fingers moving to fondle the edge of her torn tunics as she thought on Obi-Wan’s proposition. Dooku and Jinn were both looking at her with measured expressions and then at one another, doubtlessly using their old Master-Padawan bond to converse while giving Satine to think.

“It…is a good plan Duchess,” Dooku said after what felt like an eternity to Obi-Wan.  
“And if the meeting is timed just right we may just be able to pit the two Mandalorian groups against one another if it turns out that they are both against us.” Qui Gon added, a glimmer of interest in his deep eyes. Out of all of them he'd chaffed the most about being on the run and was eager to do something against their pursuers.

They had started to move when Satine suddenly began moving in a different direction, “If we’re going to meet Mereel we’ll need to head this way. There’s a mountain range not too far from here that will give us a decent view.” The Jedi all shared a glance between them before nodding in unison and heading towards the higher ground.

Their first day in the mountains Master Jinn had located a decent valley whose mountain sides were littered with caves. Master Dooku had sent the coordinates to Jaster Mereel and then the four of them went deep into the mountain caverns and slept fitfully for the first time in months. Sure, there were still watches shared between the three Jedi, but each of them got hours of rest instead of minutes, which certainly didn’t hurt their expedience in setting up traps, hunting and scrounging, and making additional contingency plans.

The lattermost occupied the Masters a great deal throughout the next day, so much so that Obi-Wan was happy to volunteer to do more scouting of the caves. There were few things she enjoyed less than searching deep, dark, wet caverns for potentially dangerous creatures, plants, or enemies, but she’d discovered earlier in the mission that it was better to be covered in excrement than mediating another argument between the two Master Jedi, who really ought to know better.

Several hours before the appointed time the muted sounds of speeders rung dully in the too still air of the valley and from the opposite horizon dark clouds were rolling in.  _Where Mandalorians march a storm surely follows._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As mentioned previously- yes I am taking liberties and not making Mandalore a planet too ravished by warring to actually support life beyond cities in giant bubbles. Still debating on the level of AU I want to make this, thoughts?


	3. Growth Cycle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I play around with the idea of growth for the Togruta species. Long story short Ahsoka grows overnight (again) and nothing fits anymore.

Ahsoka groaned, hating the now relatively familiar feeling of her growth cycles. It made everything, from her bones to the tip of her montrals and the bottom of her lekku, ache like they’d been stretched too much, though today felt more like she’d been hit by a Seppie Tank rather than another growth cycle. Everything throbbed and she valiantly resisted the urge to whimper as she slowly sat up to rearrange herself into a meditation pose. Normally her growth cycles weren’t quite so fierce or required more than a thought to push the aching tenderness of her body to the back of her mind. That she needed to release her pain into the Force was by far the best indicator that she’d grown a significant amount this round and as she slipped into a light trance, she fervently hoped that this meant she wouldn’t have to deal with another cycle for at least 6 more months if not longer, though at 15 it was a vain hope.

It took almost an hour to release the uncomfortable sensations of a lot of growth at once into the Force and then allow its cool warmth to soothe her strained body. Eventually, bright blue eyes peeled themselves open and with a mind no longer trying to overcome physical pain and bone-deep ache, the Togruta stood to examine the latest developments her body had gone through.

Tracing hands found that thr montrals weren’t too much higher than they’d been last week, while her lekku now fell just past her breasts, which she was relieved to note weren’t particularly large. Sure, they were a bit more obvious but she wouldn’t have to track down a special breast band maker like some of the more, well-endowed female knights had complained of. It was hard to run and fight if parts of you got in the way, plus if her elder Jedi friends were to be believed, it could take years to make the right adjustments to her lightsaber forms and she just didn’t have that time- not in the middle of a war. And especially not when the lives of hundreds of vod depended on her.

The ‘fresher mirror certainly provided and even more enlightening view- her face a grown a bit longer and her body taller and leaner- losing much of the baby fat that had resolutely followed her around since childhood. With that growth, her markings too had altered a bit- the blue and white of her montrals and lekku more brilliantly colored, nearly matching the 501st colors, the patterns now less distinct in their shape and taking on a jagged look. Her skin too was a bit brighter, though still fairly similar, with more even toning. Hopefully, this meant she was not past the spotting phase- thank the old ones! It'd been awful trying to keep her sensitive skin from developing spot when out on a battlefield for weeks on end.  
  
She grinned, baring sharp teeth in the mirror in evident self-admiration even as piercing blue eyes examined her for further changes. She looked older, fiercer….almost like Shakk Ti. A truly grown huntress who could take on a group of Akul with little issue.  
  
Pleased with her appearance she moved to get dressed only to groan in dismay when she found that almost nothing fit quite right. There was no way she was going to wander on a battleship too tight leggings and a tunic that now barely hit her hips. Well, there was nothing for it, she thought with a mental shrug, she had warned him that this would happen, before reaching out across her bond to call the one person who’d be able to help.

_SKYGUY!!!_


	4. Buirkan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buirkan: responsibility 
> 
> It hadn’t occurred to Kal Skirata to actually check on the girl that had enamored on of his sons. She was likely with a group of soldiers on a Rim world- there was no need to worry. Sure she made Darman happy, but there was a war going on and neither of the two could afford being distracted at a moment that could lead to their deaths. Etain was a Jetti, she could take care of herself, and if in the depths of his mind he thought that his son would find someone else- someone better, well the old mercenary knew better than to bring it to the surface of his thoughts.

Etain looked down at the confirmation from her ally and knew, with the clarity that had seemed to come from being pregnant, that the next few months of her life were going to be difficult. She could tell no one, have limited support, and start a life of her own with a child close at hand. There would be no Jedi Order to guide her or parents to return to. She desperately wanted to tell someone- to tell Kal. But no- she couldn't, not now. It took a few deep breaths to choke back the urge to cry, but she managed. And just in time too seemed, as his heavy boots, near silent against the durasteel, thumped just loud enough for her to hear. It was a rare courtesy and she used those few brief seconds he gave her to store away her emotions and will her mind and body into calmness once more.

"I didn't know you were out here ad'ika."

Etain turned towards the familiar gruff voice and inclined her head before turning her head back towards the Coruscant nighttime scenery. The Force chimed in possibility, but she took a deep breath and made her choice. It was dangerous and liberating, like jumping off the rooftop of the Senate Dome without gear. It was exhilarating and absolutely terrifying. Her core trembled, but a few discreet breaths stilled the internal tremors, she could not give herself away. "I've been given a new assignment."

Kal Skirata blinked at her, his expression inscrutable. "Long one?"

Etain felt herself nod, absently wondering what the Mandalorian was thinking, and allowed herself to dip into the lie that was to become her new existence. "Yes...My partner and I will be leaving tomorrow night for the Outer Rim."

His sharp eyes narrowed at her, as though he sensed something was off with the statement, but thankfully it was almost entirely the truth. "That's a long ride."

In response, she shrugged, before impulsively she handed him her commlink. "I'm not sure what will happen, but that is the only comm frequency my partner will reach out or respond to. If," she hesitates for a moment, reaching out to the eddies of the Force for guidance, "if they call- please tell Darman I'm sorry."

Kal looked at her long and hard, the planes of his face going from suspicious to understanding. "You're not sure about this mission are you ad'ika?"

She chewed her lower lips before nodding slowly, "My partner agrees that something about the Outer Rim movements is off, but if we can prevent more deaths by getting even a hint of what the Separatists are planning then it'll be worth it."

"Even if it means your life."

"If it's my life for Darman's my answer will always be yes." Etain spoke with such fierce certainty that for a moment Kal, the jaded, old mercenary that he was, found himself to be shocked, and in this moment, he could see the traces of what might have attracted his son to this plain, unobtrusive jetti. He opened his mouth to do some digging, find out more specifics, either on her mission or her apparent feelings for Darman, but Ordo's appearance ended their conference and Kal watched the jetti slip away. Etain relieved that she hadn't just spilled her secrets to the man, slipped back inside to spend her last few hours with the man she loved, silently letting out a prayer as she looked around the room at each of the unique individuals gathered within. Force please keep them all alive.

 

**_Four Months Later_ **

 

It hadn’t occurred to Kal Skirata to actually check on the girl that had enamored on of his sons. She was likely with a group of soldiers on a Rim world- there was no need to worry. Sure she made Darman happy, but there was a war going on and neither of the two could afford being distracted at a moment that could lead to their deaths. Etain was a Jetti, she could take care of herself, and if in the depths of his mind he thought that his son would find someone else- someone better, well the old mercenary knew better than to bring it to the surface of his thoughts.  
Tromping through the battleship with Ordo as his side, Kal absently nodded to a handful of the clones he passed as he headed for Zey’s office, absorbed in that which was uppermost in his thoughts- the slow and steady progression towards his final goal, with the pieces all just out of reach to put into place just now. But soon…

It was Ordo’s sudden alertness and the stillness of the silence that alerted Kal that something was wrong and he pulled himself away from his thoughts to actively take measure of the world around him. Zey’s expression was detached and carefully blank, Jusik was standing too still and too straight while in front of them stood a lone trooper whose white armor looked like it had been tested by a strill and dragged through half of Tatooine’s Jundland Wastes. 

“What happened?”

“You are dismissed Trooper.”

“General.” The unknown Trooper saluted before leaving the office, leaving Kal to come up with the worst possible scenarios. He only waited long enough for the door to seal shut behind the departed man before he stormed over to Zey’s desk, “What happened?! And kriffing hells Zey if one of my-”

“As of 23 hundred hours Knight Etain Tur-Mukan has been pronounced to be MIA and is estimated to be KIA within the next 24 hours.” Dark eyes moved from the surface of the desk to look up at him, blank and fathomless, and Kal could do naught but stare back into that empty gaze in shock.

“What!?”

“Aerial bombardment from a CIS flagship. The battleground was completely incinerated with a small handful of survivors. On ground troops are still combing through the area, but thus far have found nothing.” Zey’s words were cool and perfunctory. “Reports indicate she was near the center of the first blast on the front line ostensibly providing cover for the medical evacuation.”

The silence was deafening. Etain was most likely dead? His brain was already running through the possibilities, plans, and potential search patterns. Zey was saying something and even as he reached out to accept a PADD with a numb hand, he tried to jerk his focus back from the shock and growing realization that Darman had to be told. “- know that it’s not your ideal mission, but if this is some new superweapon we need to know.”

“Course, my boys and I will see to it. Mind if I bring Bardan in on this. Force might be useful.”

Zey’s head inclined in a graceful dip of acquiescence before the man sat back down at his desk and refocused on his work, his silent dismissal all too clear. A dismissal Kal Skirata barely noted, already stomping through the door with Ordo and Jusik following behind before they walked half a step behind on either side once they reached a wider hall.

“Ordo reach out to your brothers, see if they can trace any news of this...weapon. I want its layout and its chakaar leader and any method of tracking we’ve got. You need to grab anything before we ship out Bard’ika?”

“Just a few things Sergeant, it won’t hold us up long.”

Kal nodded, thinking that this was exactly why he liked the lad. Straight to the point, ready to help, and willing to note anything that might slow down their timetable. “Grab what you need and then meet me at the spaceport. I promised Atin I’d bring a message to Laseema.”  
  
Bardan peeled away from their party, the result of his brown robes the only signal of his departure towards a taxi cab heading towards the Jedi Temple, while Ordo and Kal grabbed a speeder and headed towards their hideaway in mid-level of Coruscant, the younger occupied with communicating the news to his Null brothers while Kal began planning. Etain wasn’t particularly important, but she was Darman’s jetti and that made enough of a difference to Kal that his blood simmered in a familiar song of vengeance, which swelled to greater heights when he thought of the damage that the separatists had caused. Hundreds of boys, if not thousands, that would never know a life beyond the war, that would never breathe, and leaving thousands more to mourn their fate. They would not die in vain.

Not while he still had a breath in his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In reading the Republic Commando Series I genuinely believe that Kal was reluctant to adopt Etain and claim her as family until after Kad arrives into the world because she's driven by something he doesn't understand. Now, I'm not saying Etain made great choices, she's human and makes mistakes even with the guidance of the Force, but Kal seems to dismiss her in some ways and I wanted Etain to stand on her own merit, hence this. Not entirely sure when I'll add more, but still the idea is there.


	5. Ori'vod Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori'vod - series of shorts summary: Ahsoka hadn't really known what it was to be claimed for who she was and because someone wanted her. Delta had changed that and like hells were her Ori'vod going to sit around while the galaxy attempted to tear their little sister apart, and Vau being the reluctant buir that he is, ends up getting dragged along to protect his ade, all five of them. 
> 
> Prologue: If Geonosis made all Republic Commandos twitchy, Ahsoka was absolutely certain that it made the Infantry ten times as worse, especially when they find out that the Commandos would be joining them in the assault.

Geonosis made all Republic Commandos twitchy- they’d lost so many of their number in the first battle that’d raged for days on that dust ridden world. When General Zey’d briefed the Commando Squads being assigned to Generals Kenobi, Mundi, and Skywalker’s battalions, he’d called on only those handful of squads that had managed to stay intact after that first battle.

“While each of you are expected to coordinate your plans with the leading Generals, each of the Jedi Masters leading the assault are well aware of your capabilities in…improvisation.”  
“Sir?”  
“Once you have received your specific assignment, the Generals have agreed to allow each of your squads to form your own plans and the freedom to move separately from the battalions in order to achieve your objectives.”

Zey felt the mens’ approval spike in the Force and he almost wanted to sigh. Geonosis had hit the GAR Commandos hard, and in the Commandos especially the Mandalorian traditions and duties were so deeply embedded into them that doubtless these three squads would be determined to get some revenge in for their lost brothers. He could only hope that with three Commando squads virtually being given free rein that there would be a Geonosis left after they were through with it.

“Aiwha - General Kenobi. Meridian – General Mundi. Delta that leaves you will General Skywalker. You ship out at 0300. May the Force be with you.”

The chorus of 12 “Sirs!” and crisp salutes was far too familiar for Zey’s liking and he watched as they filed out of the briefing room, before his comm pinged with the all too familiar sound associated with Sgt. Skirata. Force help him, he was getting too damn old for this.

 

 

If Geonosis made all Republic Commandos twitchy, Ahsoka was absolutely certain that it made the Infantry ten times as worse, especially when they found out that the Commandos would be joining them in the assault. Three days ago the _Reliance_ had picked up the Commando group assigned to the Battalion and ever since there'd been something in the air that made her want to bare her teeth in defiance. Even Captain Rex was more on edge than usual, his shoulders stiff under the armor, and at last, Ahsoka couldn't bear it anymore and retreated (definitely not fled- the padawan of Anakin Skywalker _did not_ flee) to the Med Bay, the only place that the weird hissing tension didn't seem to touch. 

Kix had been more than willing to explain, once she'd told him in detail why she was taking up space in the Medical wing when she obviously wasn't injured. "Commandos were trained directly by specialized Instructors. Men and women that Jango'd hired once things were confirmed."  
  
"Wait- you weren't all trained by the same guys?" Ahsoka asked, head tilted in confusion.  
  
"Us C.Ts? Corellian hells no! We were mostly flash trained, though the Commanders did have to take special courses that were led by the Commando trainers."  
  
"Doesn't that bother you? That you didn't have the same training?"

"Cuy ogir'olar" Kix replied, shrugging his shoulders to supplement the neither here or there response he'd supplied the young Commander with in mando'a. Of course the fourteen year old made a face at him at the answer, but it's not like he could simply explain to her, the kind of life and training the Commandos had, not without supplying her information that she didn't need to be burdened by. "If you ever have the option of doing so Commander, watch the way Commandos work. The way the move, fight, and breath. You'll get your answer."  
  
A month later, when Sev and Scorch accompanied Ahsoka into the Med Bay on account of checking her over after she blew up a droid factory while hiding in a tank (he'd have that aneurysm sometime later) Kix found himself regretting giving such instructional advice, because _of course_ Padawan-Commander Ahsoka Tano, great-grandpadawan of Qui-Gon Djinn, the ultimate collector of (pathetic) lifeforms, wouldn't simply be satisfied by only watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cuy ogir'olar: It's neither here nor there

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and man does it feel good to really be back!! Life has been kicking me in the ass lately with a big bag full of stuff (good, bad, ugly, awful, fantastic, etc) so this is a giant relief.
> 
> I couldn't find one consistent version of "vod" or "vode" so I well e-less. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


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